Force Motors have entered the passenger car market with an SUV. Is this SUV capable of taking the successful CV manufacturer to new heights?
After making some of the best-selling commercial vehicles in the country, Force Motors have entered the personal transport segment with their first offering, the Force One.
This new SUV from Force clearly points to the company's passion for growth. Is the Force One capable of making Force Motors a force to reckon with in the Indian SUV segment? Let's find out.
Design And Features
One look at the Force One and you immediately realise that the proportions of this SUV are spot on. It appears very imposing and the angular design lend it a tough and rugged appearance while keeping the overall look elegant. The bold front end with a simple yet classy grille dipped in chrome bears a huge Force Motors monogram which gives the front a stylish view. The headlamp with a projector beam and integrated daytime running LEDs and round fog lamps accentuate the overall appearance of the front end.
Its bulging wheel fenders and huge 16-inch wheels shod with all-terrain tyres add good muscle to the Force One when viewed from the side. However, the rear end has been kept a little too simple. Overall, the exterior of the Force One appears quite good because of the right proportions and old school angular design that give it a robust SUV look while keeping things simple and elegant.
Moving to the interior, you'll find a well-laid-out cabin which is quite simple. It features a minimalistic dashboard with a two din audio system that features an aux port, USB port and Bluetooth, manual a-c controls and angular vents with fake wood trim surrounding the centre console. A chunky steering wheel with controls mounted on it for music, phone and cruise control settings are the highlights of the dashboard. Use of colours like beige and light brown give a warm and welcoming feel and features like leather-covered seats, steering and gear knob, a-c vents in the second and third row and rear parking sensors give the Force One an upmarket feel.
One thing of this SUV that everyone will appreciate is the huge space on offer. Good leg and knee room make the interior quite roomy and the third row, which looks quite tight, actually has decent knee room for an adult. Besides, the central arm rest between the driver and the passenger seat has dual storage. Overall, the interior looks and feels good, though it could have been a little more modern.
Engine And Performance
Force One is an Indian SUV with an international heart. The motor powering this big SUV is a unit that comes from Daimler AG, Germany. The 2,149-cc diesel engine was developed by Mercedes and Force Motors are making this very engine here in India under licence from Daimler. On paper the engine looks quite impressive with a power output of 141 PS and 321 Nm of torque. It has a five-speed transmission, which is a little heavy and requires some effort to shift. But the power delivery is quite nice as the Force One can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 15.45 seconds. Rather good for a vehicle of this size. The roll-on figures also suggest that you don't need to shift constantly to keep up with traffic or to overtake. The top speed that we recorded before running out of road was 162.6 km/h.
However, there is considerable body-roll that becomes perceptible instantly. This is due to the soft suspension set-up, which is fine within the city. Once on the highway, you start noticing every little pothole and bump. Moreover, the road holding characteristics of the Force One do not inspire much confidence and let you push hard, as it becomes quite unstable at high speed. Its light steering, good for the city but not enough for the highway, lacks positive feedback. And the absence of ABS is a reason people might shy away from this SUV. Overall, you can take the Force One out for a day in the city, but if you enjoy driving and would like to take it to the highway often, then you might be disappointed because of its stability and soft suspension.
Overall
Many would think of the Force One as a 4 x 4 SUV. However, this one here is a 4 x 2 version. A 4 x 4 version will appear in the market by the end of 2012 along with ABS.
Force Motors have priced the Force One at Rs 12.45 lakh (OTR, Pune, for the 5+D variant), which is reasonable for everything you get with it. We have to say that the first attempt by Force Motors is definitely commendable, but a few tweaks here and there will make it a more desirable product than it currently is.
Story: Ravi Chandnani
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
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